Mechanical hobbyhorse



l Nov. 22, 1932. J. O. HAHS 1,888,763

l v MECHANICAL HoBBYHoRsE File-d Nov. 11. 1931 s sheets-sheet 2 Nov. 22, 1932. .1. o. HAHS MECHANICAL HOBBYHORSE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 11, 1931 J ya 5 re N m Vm W ww n Patented Nov. 22, 1932 UNITED STATES JAMES vOTTO HAIIS,1OF SIKESTON, MISSOURI MECHANICAL HoBBYHonsE Application sied November 11, 1981. serial No. 574,308.

This invention relates to improvements in mechanical hobby horses of the type illustrated in my pending application Ser. No.

517 ,472, filed February 21, 1931. 5 According-to the arrangement shown in the drawings of said application, the horse is continuously rocked by crank members connected, respectively, to the front and hind legs of the horse, and rotating at dierent rates of speed, so that the gait of the horse is continually changed.

It is the main object of the present invention to providermeans, under control ofthe rider of the horse, 4whereby the gait ofthe r horse can be changed at will, and the horse continue to operate at the changed gait; or elsethe gait of thehorse may be caused to continually change'throughout the cycle of operation provided by the driving mechanism, as in my previous construction.`

Preferably, the control member is in the form 'of a bridle, and the reins of this bridle.

`upper portion of the horse, showing the arrangement of the bridle and martingale for pass through the rings f a martingvale, the inner end of the breast-strap of which is connected to one end of a pivoted lever, the other end of which is connected to a strap operating a brake band. This brake band controls the .Y

movement of a rotatable drum containing differential 'drlvlng mechanism.

"CO With the drum free to rotate, the horse will 'd form. If, however, the rider pulls on the reins of the bridle to operate the brake band,

this causes the relation of the movements of the disks to be changed, as the differential 9 driving mechanism is thus caused to function and one set of disks will be caused to travel at a higher rate of speed than the other; and this constant change in the gait of the horse will continue so long as the brake is held'applied.

a lVhenever the brake is released, lrhedrum will be free to rotate and thereafter the movement of the horse will be uniform at the gait at Vwhich it was operating at the moment the brake was released.

Another object of the invention relates to improved means for yieldingly supporting the horse on the base of the machine. A still further object relates to improvedl means `for changing the degree of inclination of the horse that will be'caused by the revolutions of the operating disks, 4 so that the horse may be caused to have the maximum elevation at both its rear and front ends inthe operation of the machine, or any less vdegree of inclination, down to a verygentle rocking movement. y Finally,other objects of the invention relate to various novel details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, wherebythe principal objects ofthe invention i 65 are attained.

In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure 1 is a viewin side elevation of my improved hobby horse; l Y

' F igure'Q is a horizontal view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure-1; j Figure 3 is a View in front elevation of the operating mechanism to control the gait of the horse; v p V lFigure4 -is a horizontal top plan view on an enlarged scale of the base of the machine with thetop thereof removed and the `legis of,

the horse shown in section; Figure 5 1s a longitudinal sectlonal view takenon the line 5-'5 of Figure 4 and viewed in the direction of the arrows; Figure 6 is a cross sectional view taken on l the line 6-6 of Figure 4 and viewed in the direction of the arrows;`

Figure 7 is a cross sectional view taken on the lin`e7--7`of Figure 4 and viewed in the direction of thearrows;

Figure 8 is a transverse section taken on the line 8 8 of Figure 7 and viewed in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 9 is a sectional detail view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 9 9 of Figure 8 and viewed in the direction of the ar- 95 rows; and Y 'Y Figure 10 is a vvertical sectional view on an enlarged scale of one of the yieldingsup` ports for the horse. A

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral 1, Figures 1, 4 5, indicates the base of the hobby horse, which preferably comprises a lower portion 2 and an upper 'portion 3 provided with flanges by *means of whichV they may be bolted together, as indicated at 4. Extending transversely Y through the base 1 neark the respective ends thereof, Vare two shafts 5 and 6, these shafts extending through the opposite side walls of the base and being mounted in bearingsl secured on the inner sides of. sidewalls. Mounted at opposite ends, respectively, of shaft 5 are two crank disks 8, imilar crank disks9 beine mounted on opposite ends Yof the shaft d6.

Thenumerallindicates the body of the horse, l'iaving hind :lees 11 pivotally con-V .;nected-thereto at its rear end, as indicated `vtatedlleither -atthe same or at differential `rates of speed, and the mechanism Vfor rotating -thedisks, and the mearriy forcontrolling the variation in the .relativeV lspeeds of rotation of the -disksjS .and y9, will now be de' scribed The numeral 17, Figures 4 and 5, indicates van `electric motor, vmounted within the"'base 1 on the floor thereof, said vmotor vhaving a shaft .18 projecting from one end and pro- .ivided-on its outerend with a worm 19, (Fig.

which meshes with a worm wheel keyed on the rear shaft 5. The worm wheel 20 is incased in a housing 21, which is se- .cured on theside wall of va frame member 22 (Figs. 4 and 6)4 castfintegral with one'of the side walls lofthe base l. The frame member-22 is hollow, and mounted within it and secured-to thefside wall Vof vbase 1 is .a castging 23, aiierdinga 24 `forfone end of the shaft 5. Asimiiar casting 25, secured Vto theopposite wall of base l, aiiordsa bearfing`26 for the other endof the shaft. Keyed on the shaft 5 adjacent to the bearing26 is acup-.shaped circular casting 27, which has secured toits outer face, as by means of rivets 28, a sprocket wheel 29, the said sprocket wheel and the cupped portion of lthe casting (2:7. surrounding the bearing 26, but being spaced therefrom. The front sha-ft is supported .at opposite ends in bearings 30 'provided .by castings 31, (Fig. 7'), secured to the side .walls of the base l, in similar m'ans ner to the castings 23 and 25 at the opposite end .of the base.Y Rotatably `mounted on Vshaftis a sleeve 32,5and keyed `on this sleeve 4is' a circular cup-shaped casting 32a' to 'the outer face ofwhich is secured 'a sprocket rssefzee wheel 33, as by means of rivets y34. The cupped portion of casting 32, and thesprocket `wheel33, surround the bearing 30 at one end of shaft 6 at a distance therefrom, the sprocket wheel 33 being in line with the sprocket wheel 29 and operatively connected thereto by means of asprocket chain 35,Figs. 4 and 5. 1

The numerall 36 indicates 'a y gear housing. made in two connected parts,

.one part having a hub 37 rotatably Vmounted on sleeve 32, and the other parthaving a hub A38 rotatably mounted on Va .sleeve'39,'wlich is also vrotatablymounted on the shaft. Rotatably mounted on stub. shafts 40 and 4l (Figs. 7 and 8:) formedfintegral withwoner` part of the gear housing 36, that atthe right shown in Fig. '7., and located at diametrically opposite sides Aof said housing, aretwo set-S `of connected pinions., each set comprising two ,pinions ofditierent diameters. In the actual embodiment of my invention, Vthe larger pinion 42 of each set has 21;.teeth, and the smaller pin-ion 430i .each sethas 20teeth.

Keyed on thesleeve 32 within the gear housving 36, is a gear 44, 'in mesh with the pinions 42 and'having ,forty-nine teeth. Keyed on theishaft A6 is a larger gear 45., in ,mesh with .the vpinions 43, 'andhaving fifty teeth.A

'Vifith the arrangement of y,gears described, when the sprocket wheel' '33 fis drivensle ev e f2, (rear 44, pnions 42 and A43, Vgear 45,-J and shaft 6 will rotate .togetherand at the same mi@ Of Speed within@ Shaaaurives by worm 18 and worm gear 20. rlhus 'the crank I disks 8 and 9 willbe ,rotate-d at the saine rate of speed, and a vuniform movement will Abe imparted to the horse body 10j, which will varj,7 from' an Vu'p-and-down 'movement'ina vvertical plane, if the crank pinsy 15 and 16 ofthe respective sets of disksare at thes'ame relative positions with respect Ito theiinaginary circles described by said crank pins, .to

a rocking movement of greater or less intensity, dependent ruponthe extent to which one setof crank pins is `advanced relative yto p `the other set. Usually,however.,V ythe vhorse body will be rocked in the movement'of the crank disks; but whateverthe, character' of the movement, it willV be uniform so' 'long as the members of the driving mechanism' all rotate in unison. and at the vsame rate of speed, as abovedescribed. l

A prominent lfez'iturei of my invention, however, resides in the provision'of .means under control of therider for changing the degree of the rockingmovem-ent of the horse,

and then having the horse operate 'at the` changed gait; or else to effect a continuous change of gait throughout a cycle' of opera-wv tien, or'recurring cycles of-operation, of'the' mech anism.

Such vchangerin the degree offrocking movement of the horse is yeif'fected .by bringinginto operation the differential existingf 1,ees,7e3 y between the gears 44, 45 and the pinions 42, 43, either for a short length of .time to change thedegree of the rocking movement to a y desired extent, or for the period of time for which the horse is ridden, to cause the rocking movement to vary in intensity from a minlmum to a maximum ,throughout recurring cycles of operation. Y

The 4relation V,of the driving gears 1s such ,that when brought into play the crank disks 8 will berotated faster thanthe crank disks `9. That is to say, for every fourteen revolutions ,of the disks 9'the disksr 8 will rotate through fifteenrevolutions; and this diiference in the speed ofthe rotation of the two disks `effects a constant change in the rela.-

Ation of the crank disks l5 and 16 to each other, which continues through fourteen `revolu- 4tions of the disks 9, when the cycle of opera- -tion is repeated. AThe mechanism for controlling the rocking movement of the horse willgnow be described. i Secured at one end to the floor of base l,

Yas indicated at 46, Fig. 5, isa brake band4?,

which partially surrounds the gearhousing 36, (Figs. 4, 5 and 7) the periphery of which forms a brake drum, and at its upper end is secured to a cable 48the other end of which `is secured to the lower end of a lever arm `4),il`1g. 5, which 1s plvoted intermediate its ends, as indicatedat 50,in bearings 5l proyided jon the top of the base section `The `numeral 52,- Figs. l andY 3indicates a mar-y tingale having a breast-strap 53, which is ker:-

tendedrearwardly and is connected at its inner end to the upper end of the lever arm49. The martingale, as usual, has two straps eX- tending upward over the chestl of the horse and provided at their upper endswith rings 54, through which pass the bridle reins 55. The reins 55 are secured at their ends inrings 56, fastened on either side of the mouth of the horse to simulate abit. I "1 f AF rom the foregoing description, it will be seen that if the rider pulls on the bridle reins 55, the breast-strap 53 of the martingale will be pulledforward, thereby moving the lower `end of lever arm 49 to the rear, causing the cable 48 to pull the brake band 47 into en- 43, and the latter in turn` drives gear 45,

which is keyed on shaft 6, and therefore ro-` tates the latter.

Owing to the gear ratio described, the gear 45 `will move at a lower rate of speed 'than the gear v44 to the extent of being retarded a distance equal to 315teeth in every complete revolution of the gear 44. As the shaft 5 isV always' driven at a uniformfrate ofspeed, the decrease in speed of the shaft 6 by applying of tubular members.

the brake band to the gear housing, as de-y scribed above, results in retarding the crank pins 16, with the result that there will occur a cycle of operation during which the degree of the rocking movement will increase from a minimunrto afmaXimum through halfa cycle ofV operation, and then -will ldecrease from themaximum tothe minimum during the remaininghalf of the cycle.

Another feature of my invention-resides in the provision of novel means for support` ing the bodyv of the horseon the base lV and thisconstruction will now be described, referring particularly to Figures 1, 2, 5 and l0.

At two. points on ,the under side of the `body of the ihorse'equally. removed from its longitudinal center, I provide semispherical recesses 57 for removably receiving thefupper ends of two tubular members 5.8,

the lower Vends of which arel open. On7 the` top of section 3 of the base I provide twosemispherical recesses 59, corresponding in position to the recesses 57, that ,is to say, in vertical alignment therewith, in which Vare mounted the lower ends of two tubular members 60, `the upper ends of .which are te'lescoped,"A and have a sliding fit in the upper `tubular memf ber 458, as clearly Vshown in Figurek 10.

Mounted within each Vpair of tubularfmem- I' bers 58 and 60 is a coil spring 61, which engages the upper and lower ends, respectively,

members in position in the `respective recesses 57 and 59, it will'be seenthatthe body Vof the horse will be yieldingly supported the spring 6l, the tubular members as a whole being free to rock back and forth bythe engagement of their ends in the semi-spheri-f cal recesses 57 and 59, and the horse bodycan yield underthe weight of the rider, by reason of the ability of the tubular member 58 to telescope over, or slide on the tubularinember 60. By this construction, Iv yieldingly `support the Vbody of the horse on the'base,

scribed `having merely a socket connection iwith the horse and base respectively, canlbe ith these ltubular l Y readilyv inserted in position or removed, as i the case may be.V j

A further featuref ofmy invention "relates t to the provision of means for adjusting the'4 throw ofthehorse body in the rock-ing movement thereof occasioned by rotating thecrank, disks 8 and 9, so that the severity of the movelowingV mechanism: i Y I ,Y

VMounted on the rear of the base l are standa'rds 62, pivotally mounted between which at the upper ends, as `indicated at 63, Figures 2` Y 'ments through acycle of operationmay"be i increased to the maximum ordecreasedyto .the minimum. This I accomplish by the folffands,,isthelowerend ofa ba'rf 64, 'the upper sor'finnerzend kol'which is pivotally connected, vibffmeans of-abolt 65.,in one or .the other of a series of apertures166, Yprovidedin an arm 67, isecurredztoithe underside of-Lthephorse body and ,zprlo'jectingy downwardly therefrom, as indiy:cated vin F-igs.V `Land 5.V iVith the bolt 65 sefcured inithe -lowermost .of the apertures maximum throw, or widest rangeolf-"move-Vr lmengt, when operated by .the revolution of the crankdisks. Byconnectingthe inner end of bar7641higher vup on arm 67, 'the throw, or range omovement, of the horse body will abe lessened, the minimum yfeiect being produced when zthe bolt is secured in the up l -permostaperture `66, when the .rockingzmove- Jmentefithe horse v4body will be very mild or qvvgerrtl'e.V

l Asfin the vcase of :the :inventionv of my .prior n .fafpiplicatiom lthe motion of the'horse :body efie'cteQlQby :rotatingthe crank disk simulates y -qiiite closely the motion or gait of a-horse'and pnillingxon .the bridle toapplytthe brake may befchange'd,as previously explained, andV if theV rider prefers the 4,gait which approximatesianyof `'the well known 1gaits of a horse, -such as a gallop, trot, pace or the like, he can release nthefbridle'when the :horse body is Y ,moving 'at lthe gait desired, and thereafter ithe horselwilfl continue fito @beop'erated at thisv Y gaat;asherwisaf the triaieis heid auf, ,the

,horse/will gothroug'h .the various gaits, or degrees of rocking movement, -occurring 'throughoutia cycle ofvoperation of the mecha- ;n'ism. f l. Y Y CI have vshown in the drawings, and den scribed in the specification, the ybest embodi- .m'entof any Ainvention now vknown .to me; but -1 wish it understood that eXceptas may be speciiically indicated in certain ofthe ap Ipend'ed claims, the invention is lnot to Vbe limited tto Ethe precise details ofconstruction .and`A combinationsl of parts'r illustrated V4and' der4scribed,` v 1 ;Iclairn;:

, lL .In ,a `,device lof the class described,in combination with va base enclosing driving mechanism, two :pairs 'of crankmembers located, respectively, at f oppositerends ofsaid baserand adapted to lbep-rotated simultaneously by said driving mechanism, aihorse lbod'y'havin 'frontjand hind legs ypivotally secu-red `at' t eir upperfends tothe horsebody Vand iattheir lower ends to the respective pairs ofcrank members, and means under the coni Y trol of the rider forcausing one pair of crank members-,to be rotated at -a'higher rate of 160 speed lthan the other pair. l

'Y T2. In a ldevice of the class described, fin combination with a base enclosing driving mechanism, 'two vpairs of crank members'locat'ed respectively, kat opposite ends ofrsaid base and adapted-,to vbe rotated simultaneousybandito'dlreigear'housing,.the gait ofthe horse f ly bysaid driving mechanism, a horse body crank members, andmeans under the control of the operator for varying at will fthe rela- Vtive Vpositions of said ,pairsof crank members vvvwhereby to change the gaitoffthehorse.; of arm k67 the fhorse body l0 `will have ythe '3. Ag mechanically :operated lhobby horse comprising, in combinationyaybasehavmgon opposite sides thereof v.two pairsof rotatable crank members, ya horse'body lfhaving'trort upper ends :to said'crank members, :means yfor crank members, and ld iiierential mechanism included 1n said driving mechanrsmrfand opleifable, at the' will ofthe rider to cause one pair of said crank members ,to rotatevrat a@ v .higherratefo'f speed thanjtheotherpair,v l

4. A mechanically operated hobby horse comprising, in combina-tion, a basev 'having on opposite sidesthereoftwo pairs of ro'tata` ble crank members, a horse bodyhavingfront f and hind legs pivotally connected attheir upper'ends to the body-and '-atthei-r lower and hind legs pivotally connected `lat their y ends to-fsaid ycrank members, means forsupsaid .driving lmechanism andQcomprisingf-"a :portingthe body of thehorse,drivingmechao- 'f anism for simultaneously rotating-said crank" 9:5

members,dili'erentialmechanismincludedin j;

rotatable geary housing carryingmembers fof f said diiierential mechanism, a brakeassociated with said gear housing, and means operable by the rider to apply said brake to the gear housing, whereby to arrest its Ymo-r tion and cause lthe differential mechanism to effecta rotationofone pair of .said crank members vat a higher rate of Yspeed-than ,Y

other pair;

5. A mechanically operated hobby horse comprising, in combination, a base having on opposite sides thereof two pair lof rotatable crank members, a vhorse body 'having front and hind legs pivotally connected at'their Iupper ends `to vthe body and vat their lower ends to said `crank members, means for supporting the body of the horse, driving mech- Vanism for simultaneously rotating `saidcraiik 1.'

members including differential mechanism, a

rotatable gear housing 4carrying members 'of said differential mechanism, a brakei'orvsaid gear housing, operating meansfor said brake, Y and` aibridle `secured on `the horses'head and l `operatively*connected with said l'brake operating 4means',y whereby, by pulling on saidk bridle, said brake may -be 'applied to. arrest .the gear housingrand causerthe dilerential mechanism to efec't a'rotationv offene pairV vhigher rate of'speed K' of crank members at a4 than the other pair. n 6. A mechanically operatedhobbyv horsey comprising, infcombination, abase having on o-pposite sides thereof twol pairs of rof en V tatable crank members, a horse body having front and hind legs pivotally connected at their upper ends to the body and at their lower ends to said crank members, means for supporting the body of the horse, a motor driven shaft carrying one pair of crank members and a sprocket wheel, a second shaft carrying the other pair of crank members, a sleeve rotatably mounted thereon, a sprocket wheel keyed on said sleeve, a sprocket chain connecting said sprocket wheels, a gear keyed on said sleeve, a second gear of larger diameter keyed on said second shaft, a gear housing rotatably mounted on said sleeve carrying connected pinions of different size in mesh with said gears, the larger of said pinions meshing with the smaller of said gears, the gear ratio being such that with the gear housing free to rotate, said sleeve, gear housing, gears, pinions and said second shaft will be rotated in unison by the sprocket drive from the first named shaft, and means under the control of the rider for braking at will said gear housing whereby to arrest the motion thereof and cause said second shaft to be driven from said gear mechanism at afhigher rate of speed than the first named sha t.

7. A. mechanically operated hobby horse comprising, in combination, a base having on opposite sides thereof two pairs of rotatable crank members, a horse body having front and hind legs pivotally connected at their upper ends to the body and at their lower ends to said crank members, means for yieldingly supporting the body of the horse, driving mechanism for simultaneously ro-tating said crank members including dierential mechanism, a rotatable gear housing carrying members of said differential mechanism,

crank members, a horse body having front.

and hind legs pivotally connected at their upper ends to the body and at their lower ends to said crank members, means for yieldingly supporting the body of the horse on Y said base, means for simultaneously rotating sald crank members tocause a rockmg move- Y ment of said horse, and means for varying the intensity of said rocking. movement com rising an arm secured to and depending rom the underside of the horsebody, a bar pivotally connected at its outer end to said base,

and means for securing the inner end of said bar. in adjusted positions on said depending arm.

In testimony whereof,.I have hereunto set my hand.

v JAMES OTTO HAHS.

a brake band secured at one end to the base l and partly surroundingsaid gear housing, a lever arm pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on said base, a cable connecting one end of said lever arm with the other end of said brake band, a `martingale having. a breast strap connected to the other end of said lever arm, and a bridle secured at its ends on the head of the horse and operatively connected with said martingale, whereby, by pulling on said bridle, said lever arm may be turned to apply said brake band and arrest the motion of said gear housing and thus cause the differential mechanism to rotate one pair of crank members at a higher rate of speed than the other pair.

8. In a mechanically operated hobby horse,

the horses body and the lower of saidmem-y bers being loosely mounted at its lower end for pivotal movement on said base. l 

